If we are to assume that Koombana steamed further and further 'into trouble' that fateful Wednesday, it simply does not make sense that Harry Lyon would not have communicated problems to other vessels carrying wireless. The following article outlines two salient factors.
- Lyon was able to communicate with a steamer some 800 miles distant while Koombana lay in Port Hedland on the day of the disaster.
- The wireless system was functional and although a 'novice' Lyon was capable of successfully operating it and communicating effectively with another vessel at great distance.
The Mercury, Hobart, Tuesday 26 March, 1912.
NO RESPONSE TO WIRELESS .
INQUIRIES.
FREMANTLE, March 25.
Grave anxiety for the safety of the
steamer Koombana, which left Port
Hedland for Broome on Wednesday
last, is now entertained.
The vessel is now four days overdue,
and it is feared that she has met with
disaster, or has been disabled. The
Koombana is fitted with wireless
telegraphy, and the German mail steamer
Gneisenau, which arrived this morning,
reported having spoken to her on
Wednesday last, when she was lying at
Port Hedland. The vessels were then
800 miles distant.
To-day the Gneisenau endeavoured to
get into communication with the
Koombana, but met with no response.
It is quite possible, however, that the
Koombana's wireless apparatus has
been disabled.
It does not make sense that Harry Lyon did not communicate a deteriorating situation to a steamer such as the Gneisenau. It substantiates to a degree that Koombana was on course and the disaster was sudden. If nothing else Lyon would have communicated a potential and significant delay in Koombana's arrival at Broome due to running 200 miles out to sea to ride out the cyclone.
However, there are a few question marks raised in the following detailed and fascinating period article:
The Daily News, Perth, 27 March, 1912
WHERE IS 'M.Z.P.?'
THE UNANSWERED CALL. -
THE KOOMBANA'S WIRELESS.
INTERESTING THEORY EXPLAINED.
- 'M.Z.P.! Zip, zip, z-z-z-z, zip!
M.Z.P.!'
All around the coasts of Australia,
and far into the Indian Ocean the
aerials of the wireless-equipped vessels
have been sending off Hertzian waves
with the above inquiry.
'M.Z.P.!' 'M.Z.P.!' - with tireless
energy the inquiry is being made, for
those letters represent the wireless
designation of the steamer Koombana
and along the western, southern, and
even eastern coasts of Australia, are
countless instruments seeking to get
in touch with 'M.Z.P.' and to 'receive'
an 'answer', even if it be the dreaded
distress signals, 'S.O.S.' or 'C.Q.D.'
So far no reply has been received,
and although from a hundred-and-one
different points the blue sparks have
flashed from the instruments, and the.
continuous snapping of the message
has been followed with tense eagerness
by a listening at the detector for
a reply, ever so faint, the Koombana's
instruments have remained silent, and
her whereabouts remains a mystery.
From many a high power and low
power instrument has the monotonous
signal gone forth, but nowhere, as far
as can be learnt, has there been picked
up a reply. This fact led a 'Daily News'
reporter to make some inquiry as to the
wireless installation on the Koombana
and some interesting particulars were
gleaned, particulars which lead to the
hope that after all the vessel may be
safe, yet particulars also which have
their grave side.
When the Koombana was at Fremantle
last, it was found that some slight mishap
had occurred to her wireless and an expert
late at night had to motor to the port in order
to fix matters up. This was successfully
accomplished and tests made proved
that the instruments were in good order.
The wireless unit had experienced problems before departure from Fremantle, fixed by an expert (not Lyon) and which, theoretically, could have malfunctioned again shortly after departure from Port Hedland. The fact that it was working fine shortly before departure makes this one a long shot...
Here it may be explained that the Koombana
is fitted with a standard power installation
enabling her to send messages up to 250
miles in the day time, and considerably
further at night time, according to the state
of the atmosphere. In addition to this, she has
an emergency plant, which is worked, not
with a dynamo, but on the dry cell principle.
This will only allow of messages being
sent up to 100 miles, and would, with
use, work itself out in about 40 hours.
Few are aware that Koombana carried a backup wireless system, albeit the range considerably less and dependent on vessels carrying wireless at closer range.
Some vessels, too, carry three aerials
— that is, the wires stretched from
mast to mast to receive messages —
but the Koombana had but two.
In gale force conditions that might have been a problem but if the wires were blown off, whether there were two or three is moot.
In charge of the wireless on the steamer
Mr. Lyon, was a young operator from
one of the Commonwealth post offices,
who had been recently broken in to
wireless and whose first trip in charge
this was.
It is important to note that Lyon was inexperienced and alone on Koombana which are factors to be taken into consideration. The man simply could not have been on duty 24/7 and if Koombana headed into the northeast and late into the night, at some point Lyon would have sought sleep and been caught off guard in a sudden, catastrophic situation.
In conversation with a wireless expert
our representative was given an
interesting theory of what may have
happened to the Koombana to explain
why she had not been heard of per
wireless. Said the expert: 'You see,
in a big storm such as raged up there
it is quite possible that the Koombana
may have had her aerials carried
away, one or both of them. This
would necessitate a considerable delay,
more or less in extent, according to
the damage done. There is material
aboard the steamer for the repairing
of the wireless, but probably, with the
little experience, Lyon has had this
work would take longer than usual.
Quite possible, but there again in such deteriorating conditions I have no doubt that Lyon would have communicated this fact to the outside world via listening steamers.
Again, supposing the Koombana
shipped some very heavy seas, and
the water found its way down to the
machine room, this would have the
effect of putting out of action the high
power portion of the installation, and
from that time the Koombana although
able to receive from all over the place
messages through her 'detector',
would be quite unable, except
with the 100-miler, to send any or to
answer.
This is absolutely a feasible explanation and given that Koombana was top heavy and unstable with partially filled tanks a list could very possibly have created portals of water ingress.
Thus, we may say, the position
may be that the steamer is disabled
somewhere, and is effecting repairs,
and. all the time hearing the 'M.Z.P.'
signal all day and all night long, and
perfectly unable to reply.
Appalling if true.
For, of course, by this time, she would
have exhausted the dry-cell machine,
and even if that were not the case it
is not likely that there are any steamers
fitted with wireless within 100 miles of
the Koombana to pick up her
message's.''
"How would the atmospheric conditions
affect the sending and receiving of
messages?"
"That is a very important point. You
must know, you see, that for some
obscure reason or other it is easier to
transmit messages east and west than
it is to send them north and south.
So there, you see the messages being
sent out for the Koombana are nearly
all going north and south.
There are, doubtless, operators on
the other side making a chance of
picking up the vessel. They may through
some extraordinary, favorable circumstances,
succeed— if the steamer is afloat —but
the odds are against, owing to the
great extent of land to be passed over.
Another important point raised - a steamer within range to receive messages given the above limitations.
The atmosphere has a wonderful lot
of influence in the sending of messages.
This is, of course, only natural, seeing
that the messages are sent through the
air. But it is a wonderful thing, but a fact,
that by means of 'the' detectors attached
to the wireless instruments — so sensitive
are they— atmospheric disturbances,
thunderstorms, etc., can be registered
long before the barometer registers their
approach.
According to this pivotal paragraph Lyon would theoretically have been aware, ahead of Captain Allen of the dangers in the conditions they were headed into and he would probably have warned Allen to take appropriate measures, instead of proceeding along the standard track. But if so he did not relay these concerns to the outside world!!
And in the Nor'-West, at this time of
the year, the air is, so to speak, full
of electrical atmospherical disturbances,
all of which militate against successful
long-distance wireless."
"Usually you receive quicker replies
when calling up a vessel?"
"Yes. - As a matter of fact, I know
myself of an instance where a steamer,
and quite recently too, just leaving
Adelaide, sent out a certain urgent
call, and within half an hour received
no fewer than 22 replies. All day
long and all night long messages are
being snapped out across the water,
and one gets tremendous surprises at
times, in messages being heard which are
being sent from all sorts of unthought of
places.
A very important comment that if Lyon had sent out a message expressing concerns there would have been a strong likelihood of that message being received.
Yes, if the Koombana is above
water — and I fancy she is, for
she is a splendid sea boat — I think she
has had a mishap to her machinery,
which has prevented her from steaming
and consequently put out of gear
her wireless."
And still through the air, calling,
calling, calling, travels the vibrations
of the *'M.Z.P.,' zip 'zip, z-z-z-z, zip,
'M.Z.P.' message — unseen fingers
searching and prying into every hook
where ether is, and still no answer
and no message. Where is 'M.Z.P.'?
My conclusion is that Koombana was on track for Broome when the disaster struck suddenly, catching all off guard. Lyon had not sent out any messages warning of deteriorating conditions and significant delays reaching Broome.
If indeed there were grave concerns on board that the steamer was in mortal danger, passengers would have been advised to don lifebelts and as such floating bodies would surely have washed up on beaches, even if just a handful.
No, I believe Koombana went down NE Bedout not far from the steamer track selected and will be found there.
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| Titanic's wireless room. |
Afterthought:
If Lyon had been desperately seasick due to the rough conditions, there would have been no one operating the wireless system from the get go.....
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